• 18 exciting days in remote fjords and the pack-ice of East-Greenland
• Probably one of the most fascinating adventure tours in Greenland
• Hikes and (easy) mountain-climbs from different base-camps, with little weight on your back
• To the spectacular Crystal World of the Sermilik Ice-Fjord
• Travels to Karale Glacier, Tasiilaq, Sermiligaaq, Tiniteqilaq

The Ammassalik District is a wild and very isolated region. It is shaped by high mountains, with summits up to 2.000 meters above sea-level, steep granite-towers and wide, extended glaciers, deep fjords and silent valleys with an unexpected colorful and abundant vegetation.


You'll see and experience all different types of landscapes occuring in East Greenland, get close to the edges of calving glaciers; you'll roam around fantastic ice-bergs and sail in between pack-ice-floes. We'll observe seals and may watch the big whales...

This is an extraordinary tour, which we recommend to all those, who seek the harmony, tranquil silence and remoteness of a secluded, spectacular environment. Who are sportive nature lovers and ready to experience the unusual adventure.

We'll build up several base-camps and use sea-going zodiacs for transportation and sightseeing-trips. The boats are always with us. This means, we are independent from any schedule and absolutely flexible. To a great extent we may determine the program according to our desires - as long as the weather- and ice-conditions permit. I.e. we may decide ourselves for instance, whether we go fishing or mountain-climbing. If anyone prefers just to stay in the camp, to relax and enjoy the panoramic views, he or she may do so as well! We are free and independent like Eskimo-hunters.


Itinerary:

Flight to Keflavik/Iceland and transfer to the guest-house. Alternatively you may book a more comfortable 4* - hotel in Keflavik too.

Transfer to the national airport of Reykjavik, flight to Kulusuk East-Greenland, subsequent helicopter-flight across the Ammassalik-fjord to Tasiilaq- the first highlight. From the heliport, we'll take the boats to the "meadow of flowers" and will build up our first camp.


Safety training with the boats. You'll learn some knots, boat-maneuvers and proper action in case of emergency. You'll be also instructed in the usage of the radios and the MayDay-transmitter. During the training, we'll visit some islands in the inner fjord, with magnificent views to the surrounding mountains.

We're ready to set out to the North Atlantic and follow the rocky coastal line northward through the Ammassalik-Fjord, along deep-carved ravines, filled with snow, scarcely overgrown mountain-slopes. We'll pass Qernertivartivit a tiny (now uninhabited) settlement with just four houses, beautifully located on a small island. After 2 1/2 hours of travelling-time, we'll build up the tents close to a historic settlement of the Inuit. You'll be fascinated by the great panorama, the ice and the mountains. And if the weather is good, we'll undertake an extra nightly tour with the boats to admire the pastel-colored ice and the glowing summits in the fabulous illumination of the "midnight sun".

Like at every camp-site, which we'll visit, you may decide next on your own: whether you would like to do a short walk of 3 hours the following day, or a 8-10 hours mountain-climb. After your tour, you may swim in a beautiful mountain-lake - provided you can take the temperature. A short ride will bring us to the Inuit village of Kuumiut (ca. 500 inhabitants). We look around and refuel.


We continue through charming narrow fjords and will reach the next highlight: Karale Glacier. Several 'glacier-tongues' are streaming into the sea between pointed rock-needles of high mountains. Our camp-location offers the view to several glaciers simultanously and during the night, from afar and from all sides you'll listen to the mystic sounds, when glaciers "give birth" to an ice-berg. We'll undertake a climb to one of the rocky summits. The three hours hike includes a short stretch, where you will have to use your hands to get higher up. All your efforts will be compensated by a tremendous panorama. Now you'll see the Karale Glacier from the bird's perspective, in Northern direction the Rasmussen Glacier and the high mountains of E-Greenland. Towards the ocean we look down on smaller peaks, peaceful fjords and valleys, the pack-ice of the E-Greenland ice-current - simply an unforgettable scenery.

The following day, we are going to relax, take the boats on a round-trip to the glaciers and their break-offs. Let's wait and hope to watch the calving.

We pull down the camp and travel to the remotest settlement of the district Sermiligaaq. This village is also the most traditional. The Inuit still live as hunters, they go out by kajak for whaling an seal-hunt, they catch the Polar Bear. We'll visit the village and will finally continue to another region, which has a completely different character. On the way to it, we'll have a break on a small island, where we'll find the ruin of an igloo.

Soon afterwards we'll reach the Tasiilaq Fjord. The sea here resembles rather an idyllic lake amidst a wide valley, surrounded by creeks and framed with granite-peaks and -needles. Along the shores there is an abundant, captivating vegetation. It's also a beautiful camp-site, which we'll use, and we'll take the opportunity to catch the salmon here, which is heading towards the streams.

There are a lot of possibilities for trekking: for instance an easy walk to a glacier, where you may hike across the ice (5 hours), a climb of the closest mountain (2 1/2 hours), but also a 10-12 hours tour to a more distant peak etc.
We'll stay at least two days in this fascinating area. During the second day, we might relax from our previous tour, or go on a second hike. We'll also have to prepare the fish, because that night we are going to have a delicious dinner with fresh, self - smoked salmon.

Once we leave, we'll reach an old abandoned Inuit settlement with a lot of igloo-ruins (1 hour by boat). Another hour more and we'll arrive in the Sermilik Ice-fjord and the village of Tiniteqilaq. We shall stroll through the settlement, take a rest on it's highest elevation near the old graveyard and watch the tranquil life in this community. During the night you'll hear the noise of collapsing ice again. The fjord is filled up with ice of all sizes, in particular of enormous icebergs, which are passing by like huge vessels, just driven by the wind and the tide.

We'll undertake a spectacular boats-tour through this magnificent 'World of Ice-giants'.




If ice-conditions permit, we'll return to Tasiilaq/Amassalik through the Sermilik Fjord. This will be another unforgettable highlight, something you will long remember. In Ammassalik we'll camp close to to the village.

Reserve-day in Tasiilaq (in case of bad weather).

Time for souvenir-shopping. We'll visit the museum.
Overnight in the guest-house.

Helicopter-flight to Kulusuk and connecting flight to Reykjavik/Iceland. Transfer, accomodation in the guest-house.

Transfer to Keflavik and return-flight.


In order to join to this expedition, you should have some outdoor-experience and the capability to walk across open land without any trails. While climbing mountains you'll have to hike across loose rocks and rubble safely. In short: you should be an experienced hiker. Otherwise you don't need neither special training nore a special physical condition for this trip. However, we expect you to be healthy of course.

The routing is highly dependent on the actual ice- and weather-conditions. Nobody can guarantee an itinerary as mentioned above. Changes of the routing might occur and be necessary anytime for safety reasons. You are ready to acknowledge to this condition and willing to adapt to the pace, which is given to us by nature.

You are also ready to actively cooperate with your co-participants in all necessary activities, e.g. the establishment of the base-camps, the necessary care for the boats during the trip etc. We want the expedition to be successful, that's why we all have to contribute our share.

Economy-class flights from/to the airport as being booked to Keflavik (Iceland) and Kulusuk (Greenland), Helicopter flight to/from Kulusuk-Ammassalik, airport-taxes, all transfers as mentioned above, 2 nights double-room/breakfast in Iceland (guest-house), 1 night double-room/breakfast Tasiilaq (guest-house), accommodation in tents (2 persons per tent) during the tour, kitchen-tent and kitchen equipment, all meals from dinner second day until breakfast 17th day,
all boat-trips in sea-going expedition-zodiacs,
travel insurance package,
experienced guide

Lunch and Dinner in Iceland, dinner in Ammassalik (16th day), beverages (soft-drinks, alcoholic drinks), personal expenses

Minimum 6, maximum. 11 persons

06.07. - 23.07. 2008
23.07. - 09.08. 2008
09.08. - 26.08. 2008

from Frankfurt or Copenhagen: 3.610,- €
others: on request

Single tent (15 days) : 120, €
Single room (3 days): 145,- €


Rail & Fly Ticket incl. ICE. p.P./2.Kl.: 65,- €

© 2008 Dr. Christian Adler - letzte Änderung: 22.07.08 Impressum zur Startseite     to Homepage